Transportation system disruption management apparatus and methods

ABSTRACT

A system and method for receiving data associated with a plurality of travel legs; identifying a resources delay relating to a delay necessary to provide a travel leg from the plurality of travel legs with resources required for the departure of the travel leg, and an existing delay associated with the travel leg; determining a projected arrival delay and a projected departure delay based on the resources delay and the existing delay; outputting parameters relating to the projected arrival delay and the projected departure delay; receiving operation parameters; and generating a proposed operation plan using the projected arrival delay, the projected departure delay, and the operation parameters. In an exemplary embodiment, each of the travel legs is an airline flight.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S.Application No. 61/747,510, filed Dec. 31, 2012, the entire disclosureof which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates in general to a system and method formanaging disruptions within a transportation system such as, forexample, air, land or sea transportation systems, and in particular to asystem and method for managing disruptions using intentional impositionsof delays on one or more vehicles that arrive at, and depart from, oneor more specific locations, such as, for example, operations duringwhich multiple airplanes arrive at, and depart from, multiple airportgates at multiple airports.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a system according to anexemplary embodiment, the system including a plurality of data sourcesand a remote user device.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the plurality of data sourcesof FIG. 1, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of the remote user device of FIG.1, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustration of a method of operating the systemof FIG. 1, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIGS. 5-8 are diagrammatic illustrations of parameters referenced inFIG. 4, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIGS. 9A and 9B together form a flow chart illustration of a method ofoperating the system of FIG. 1, according to another exemplaryembodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic illustration of a user interface of the remoteuser device of FIG. 3, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic illustration of a proposed plan parameterreferenced in FIG. 9B, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic illustration of a user interface of the remoteuser device of FIG. 3, according to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a diagrammatic illustration of a computing device forimplementing one or more exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure, according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following disclosure provides many different embodiments orexamples. Specific examples of components and arrangements are describedbelow to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merelyexamples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the presentdisclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the variousexamples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarityand does not in itself dictate a relationship between the variousembodiments and/or configurations discussed.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a system isgenerally referred to by the reference numeral 10 and includes afunctional module 14, which includes a computer processor 15 and acomputer readable medium 20 operably coupled thereto. Instructionsaccessible to, and executable by, the computer processor 15 are storedon the computer readable medium 20. A database 25 is also stored in thecomputer readable medium 20. A remote user device 30 is operably coupledto, and in communication with, the functional module 14 and a pluralityof data sources 40 via a network 35. In one embodiment, the plurality ofdata sources 40 receives data relating to transportation systems. In oneembodiment, the plurality of data sources 40 receives data relating toflight operations. In one embodiment, the plurality of data sources 40receives data relating to a flight from a plurality of flights, theflight using an airplane 45 and having a departure location 50 and adestination location 55. Severe weather at the destination location 55can result in ramp closures, extensive air traffic control delays, andflight diversions at the destination location 55 that result in majordisruptions to a flight schedule associated with the airplane 45. Inseveral embodiments, by receiving transportation-related data from theplurality of data sources 40, the system 10, using a monitor mode, mayanticipate delays from operational irregularities, such as impendinggate congestion, misconnecting customers, or flight cancellations,before they actually occur by propagating existing flight delays andanticipating the effect of each flight's delay on any other flight. Inone embodiment, the transportation-related data is flight operationsrelated data. These anticipated delays can be displayed on the remoteuser device 30. In one embodiment, the system 10 may receive data from auser through the remote user device 30; receive data from a plurality ofdata sources 40; create strategic delays of flights to manage reducedairport capacity, prevent customer misconnects, satisfy operationalconstraints; and display these results by outputting plan parameters onthe remote user device 30, using a recovery mode. In one embodiment, thesystem 10 may receive data from a user through the remote user device30; receive data from a plurality of data sources; propagate existingflight delays and anticipate the effect of each flight's delay on everyother flight; create strategic delays, or intentionally implementeddelays, of flights to manage reduced airport capacity, prevent customermisconnects, and satisfy operational constraints; and display theseresults by outputting plan parameters on the remote user device 30,using the recovery mode. In several embodiments, the recovery mode isimplemented to minimize delays, specifically related to gate congestion,when there is a change in demand of resource or a change in resources.In one embodiment, implementing intentional delays on flights orcancellations of flights will reduce gate congestion and tarmac delays.In one embodiment, the creation of strategic delays of flights orcancellations of flights, within the recovery mode, may be based on amanual operation mode or an automatic operation mode. Using a manualoperation mode, the user may customize a proposed manual operation planby inputting a user-specified delay on a flight. Using the automaticsystem mode, the user does not input a user-specified delay on a flight.

In an exemplary embodiment, the functional module 14 is a webapplication server, which in several exemplary embodiments includesand/or executes one or more web-based programs, Intranet-based programs,and/or any combination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the network35 includes the Internet, one or more local area networks, one or morewide area networks, one or more cellular networks, one or more wirelessnetworks, one or more voice networks, one or more data networks, one ormore communication systems, and/or any combination thereof.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 2 with continuingreference to FIG. 1, the plurality of additional data sources 40includes a dispatch environmental control system (DECS) 40 a and/or oneor more computer systems, host-based systems and/or applicationsthereof; an enhanced reservation system (RES) 40 b and/or one or morecomputer systems, host-based systems and/or applications thereof; theFederal Aviation Administration (FAA) 40 c and/or one or more computersystems, host-based systems and/or applications thereof; off-scheduleoperations (OSO) 40 d and/or one or more computer systems, host-basedsystems and/or applications thereof; one or more stations 40 e such as,for example, a station at the departure location 50 and/or a station atthe destination location 55, and/or one or more computer systems,host-based systems and/or applications thereof; a flight operatingsystem (FOS) and/or one or more computer systems, host-based systemsand/or applications thereof, and an aircraft communication addressingand reporting system (ACARS) 40 g and/or one or more computer systems,host-based systems and/or applications thereof.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 3 with continuingreference to FIG. 1, the remote user device 30 includes a computerreadable medium 30 a, a processor 30 b, an input device 30 c, and anoutput device 30 d. In an exemplary embodiment, instructions accessibleto, and executable by, the processor 30 b are stored in the computerreadable medium 30 a. In an exemplary embodiment, web browser softwareis stored in the computer readable medium 30 a. In an exemplaryembodiment, the input device 30 c and the output device 30 d include agraphical display, which, in several exemplary embodiments, is in theform of, or includes, one or more digital displays, one or more liquidcrystal displays, one or more cathode ray tube monitors, and/or anycombination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the output device 30 dincludes a graphical display, a printer, a plotter, and/or anycombination thereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the input device 30 cis the output device 30 d, and the output device 30 d is the inputdevice 30 c.

In several exemplary embodiments, the remote user device 30 is a thinclient and the functional module 14 controls at least a portion of theoperation of the remote user device 30. In several exemplaryembodiments, the remote user device 30 is a thick client. In severalexemplary embodiments, the remote user device 30 functions as both athin client and a thick client. In several exemplary embodiments, theremote user device 30 is, or includes, a telephone, a personal computer,a personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, other types oftelecommunications devices, other types of computing devices, and/or anycombination thereof. In several exemplary embodiments, the remote userdevice 30 includes a plurality of remote user devices. In severalexemplary embodiments, the remote user device 30 is, or at leastincludes, one or more of the functional module 14, the computerprocessor 15, the computer readable medium 20, the database 25 and/orany combination thereof.

In an exemplary embodiment, the system 10 includes a computer programincluding a plurality of instructions, data, and/or any combinationthereof. In an exemplary embodiment, the system 10 is an applicationwritten in, for example, HyperText Markup Language (HTML), CascadingStyle Sheets (CSS), JavaScript, Extensible Markup Language (XML),asynchronous JavaScript and XML (Ajax), and/or any combination thereof.In an exemplary embodiment, the system 10 is a web-based applicationwritten in, for example, Java or Adobe Flex, which pulls real-timeinformation from the remote user device 30, the functional module 14,and/or the plurality of additional data sources 40. In an exemplaryembodiment, the system 10 pulls real-time information from the remoteuser device 30, the functional module 14, and/or the plurality ofadditional data sources 40, upon the execution, opening or start-up ofthe system 10. In an exemplary embodiment, the system 10 is a web-basedapplication written in, for example, Java or Adobe Flex, which pullsreal-time information from the remote user device 30, the functionalmodule 14, and/or the plurality of additional data sources 40,automatically refreshing with latest information every, for example, 45seconds.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 4 with continuingreference to FIGS. 1-3, a method of managing disruptions within atransportation system, by operating the system 10, is generally referredto by the reference numeral 60. In an exemplary embodiment, thetransportation system is a plurality of airline flights, each of whichdeparts from a station at a departure location and arrives at a stationat an arrival location. In several exemplary embodiments, the method 60is implemented by, or at least partially implemented by, the functionalmodule 14 of the system 10. In one embodiment, the method 60 includesreceiving data from the plurality of data sources 40 in step 65,determining projected delays by minimizing delays on every flight instep 70, and outputting projected delays in the step 75. In oneembodiment, the method 60 is associated with using the monitor mode ofthe system 10. In an exemplary embodiment, while in the monitor mode,the system 10 monitors for operational irregularities, such as long gateor taxi delays, crew duty and/or layover violations, airport curfewviolations, gate congestion, and/or passenger misconnects. The system 10can monitor not only one airport or station, but can monitor an entiretransportation system, which includes a plurality of stations.

In an exemplary embodiment, at the step 65, the functional module 14receives and stores data in the database 25, with the data—such asflight schedule, crew sequences, aircraft routings, passengerconnections, crew duty and layover data, curfew data, and gatecapacity—being received from one or more of the following: the remoteuser device 30; the DECS 40 a; the RES 40 b; the FAA 40 c; the OSO 40 d;the one or more stations 40 e; the FOS 40 f; and the ACARS 40 g. Inseveral embodiments, the types of data received in the step 65 include,but are not limited to, flight-related data, station-related data, crewdata, passenger data, and other transportation system related data. Anairline flight is a type of travel leg.

Before, during or after the step 65, the system 10 determines projecteddelays by minimizing a projected departure delay and a projected arrivaldelay for each flight at the step 70. In one embodiment, the system 10ensures that a projected arrival delay or a projected departure delayallocated to each flight is not more than the greater of 1) latearriving required resources, such as crew and aircraft, and 2) existingdelays on the flight, such as published delays or ATC imposed delays. Inone embodiment, the system 10 uses a mixed-integer program, withparameters that can be described as follows:

-   -   F is a set of all flights for an airline for a predefined time        period, typically a day; f∈F;    -   A is a set of arrival flights ‘a’ arriving at a station of        interest; a∈A∈F;    -   D is a set of departure flights ‘d’ departing from a station of        interest; d∈D∈F;    -   M is a set of all markets ‘m’ (origin-destination pairs); m∈M;    -   F^(m) is a set of flights ‘f’ which are in the same market ‘m’;    -   C is a set of passenger connections ‘c’ where c=(g, f) where ‘g’        is the first leg of a passenger connection and ‘f’ is the second        leg;    -   P^(f) is a set of dependencies p=(g,f) where ‘g’ is a flight        that feeds a particular resource (crew or aircraft) to a flight        ‘f’; note that g∈F and f∈F;    -   FLT_(a) is a flight time for an arrival flight a; a∈A;    -   LTA_(a) is a Latest time of arrival for the arrival flight a        (a∈A) by which time the flight has to be at an arrival gate to        avoid any crew violations;    -   LTA_(d) is a Latest time of arrival for departure flight d (d∈D)        by which time the flight has to be at the arrival gate to avoid        any crew violations;    -   ERTD_(a)/ERTA_(a) is a Earliest Runway Time of Departure/Arrival        of the arrival flight a; a∈A;    -   ERTD_(d)/ERTA_(d) is a Earliest Runway Time of Departure/Arrival        of the departure flight d; d∈D;    -   T_(p) is a turn time associated with dependency ‘p’ where        p∈P^(f), f∈F;    -   T_(c) is a connect time for passengers in connection c∈C;    -   {circumflex over (x)}_(f) is a scheduled arrival time of the        flight ‘f’;    -   x_(f) ^(L) is an earliest time that the flight ‘f’ can arrive on        account of an ATC delay;    -   x_(f) ^(p) is a published time that the flight ‘f’ will arrive;    -   x_(f) ^(LB) is the earliest time that a the flight ‘f’ can        arrive;    -   ŷ_(f) is a scheduled departure time of the flight ‘f’;    -   y_(f) ^(L) is an earliest time that the flight ‘f’ can depart on        account of an ATC delay;    -   y_(f) ^(P) is a published time that the flight ‘f’ will depart;    -   y_(f) ^(LB) is an earliest time that a the flight ‘f’ can        depart;    -   N is a total number of time intervals during the day of        operation;    -   s^(i) is starting times of time interval i=1 . . . N+1;    -   I is an interval length of any time interval (note that each        time interval is of the same length);    -   ε is a small fraction of I, this is required for computational        purposes;    -   Q^(i) is a number of available gates at time interval i=1 . . .        N+1;    -   w_(c) is a weight for connection C∈C, e.g., number of passengers        in connection c∈C;    -   C is a penalty for over utilization of a gate;    -   P_(f) ^(a) is a user-specified arrival delay on the flight f,        f∈F;    -   P_(f) ^(d) is a user-specified departure delay on the flight f,        f∈F;    -   x_(f) is an arrival time of the flight f∈F;    -   y_(f) is a departure time of the flight f∈F;    -   w_(f) ^(a) is an arrival delay on the flight ‘f’ beyond        scheduled arrival time;    -   w_(f) ^(d) is a departure delay on the flight ‘f’ beyond        scheduled departure time;    -   z_(c) is 1 if the passengers on connection ‘c’ misconnect, c∈C,        0 otherwise;    -   u_(a) ^(i) is 1 if the arrival flight a∈A arrives at a time        interval i, 0 otherwise;    -   f_(a) is a time until arrival time of the arrival flight a∈A        after the starting time of associated time interval;    -   v_(d) ^(i) is 1 if the departure flight d∈D departs at the time        interval i, 0 otherwise;    -   h_(d) is a time until departure time of the departure flight d∈D        after the starting time of associated time interval;    -   δ^(i) is an over-utilization of gates at the time interval i        (surplus variable); and    -   λ^(i) is an under-utilization of the gates at the time interval        i (slack variable).        In several embodiments, the mixed-integer program parameters, as        described above, are used consistently throughout the system 10.

In an exemplary embodiment, the mixed-integer program parameters can bereceived from the functional module 14, the remote user device 30,and/or the plurality of data sources 40. As noted above, the system 10uses a mixed-integer program to determine the projected arrival delaysand the projected departure delays. In an exemplary embodiment, usingthe foregoing mixed-integer parameters, the mixed-integer program usedat the step 70 can be mathematically written as follows:

Minimize

$\begin{matrix}{{\sum\limits_{f \in F}w_{f}^{a}} + {\sum\limits_{f \in F}w_{f}^{d}}} & (1)\end{matrix}$

Subject to:y _(f) −x _(g) ≥T _(p) , ∀f∈F, p=(g,f)∈P ^(f)  (2)x _(f) ₁ −x _(f) ₂ ≥0, ∀m,(f ₁ ,f ₂)∈{{circumflex over (x)} _(f) ₁≥{circumflex over (x)} _(f) ₂ ,f ₁ ,f ₂ ∈F ^(m)}  (3)x _(f) ^(LB) ≤x _(f) , ∀∈F  (4)x _(f) ^(LB) ≤y _(f) , ∀∈F  (5)x _(f) ^(d) =y _(f) −ŷ _(f) , ∀∈F  (6)w _(f) ^(a) =x _(f) −{circumflex over (x)} _(f) , ∀∈F  (7)

In several exemplary embodiments, the objective of function (1) is tominimize a departure delay and an arrival delay on each flight.Constraint set (2) ensures that a flight is not allowed to depart untilall required resources required to operate the flight (crew andaircraft) are available or “ready” (arrived and ready to operate theflight). Constraint set (3) ensures that in every market(Origin-Destination combination), the arrival order of any two flightsin that market is the same as the scheduled order of those two flights.That is, the arrival order is preserved or not changed. Constraint set(4) ensures that an arrival time of each flight is greater than anallowable arrival lower bound. The arrival lower bound is determined asthe maximum of ({circumflex over (x)}_(f), x_(f) ^(L), x_(f) ^(P)). Thatis, the arrival lower bound is the maximum of: a scheduled arrival timeof each flight, the earliest time that each flight can arrive on accountof an ATC delay, and the published time that each flight will arrive.Constraint set (5) ensures that a departure time of each flight isgreater than an allowable departure lower bound. The lower departurebound is determined as the maximum of (ŷ_(f), y_(f) ^(L), y_(f) ^(p)).That is, the lower departure bound is the maximum of: a scheduleddeparture time of each flight, an earliest time that each flight candepart, and a published time that each flight will depart. Constraintset (6) computes a projected departure delay for each flight, theprojected departure delay being the difference between the projecteddeparture time and a scheduled departure time. Constraint set (7)computes a projected arrival delay for each flight, the projectedarrival delay being the difference between the projected arrival delayand the scheduled arrival delay. Before, during or after the step 70,the system 10 outputs projected delays. In one embodiment, the system 10can output the projected delays associated with one station, a stationof interest, or can output the projected delays associated with thetransportation system. In one embodiment, the system 10 outputs theprojected delays in the step 75 by displaying the parameters using theremote user device 30. The step 75 includes outputting flight-relatedparameters 80, station-related parameters 85, crew parameters 90,passenger parameters 95, and other transportation system-relatedparameters 97. The remote user device 30 may function as a graphicalterminal or thin client, graphically conveying the results of theprocessing activities of the functional module 14 via the output device30 d. By outputting the projected delays at the step 75, a user mayidentify and/or prevent disruptions and delays from occurring bypreventing gate congestion and preserving passenger flows or flow.

In an exemplary embodiment, to output the projected delays in the step75, a program such as, for example, a web browser, is executed by theprocessor 30 b of the remote user device 30 a, thereby causing the webbrowser to access a website hosted by the functional module 14, whichwebsite provides access to, and graphically communicates, the datastored in the database 25. As a result, in the step 75, the projecteddelays are outputted to the output device 30 d of the remote user device30. In some embodiments, only one parameter from parameters 80, 85, 90,95 and 97 will be displayed on the output device 30 d. In an exemplaryembodiment, the output device 30 d includes a graphical display such asa monitor, and the parameters are displayed on the graphical display inthe step 75.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 5, with continuingreference to FIGS. 1-4, during the step 75, the flight-relatedparameters 80 are displayed or otherwise outputted. The flight-relatedparameters include one or more rows of data parameter fields that thatare associated with flights, particularly delayed flights. Each of therows contains data header fields related to delayed flights, such as ofFLT/DA corresponding to a flight number and a decision altitude, DPTcorresponding to a departure location, ARV corresponding to an arrivallocation, A/C corresponding to aircraft carrier, SKDD corresponding to ascheduled departure time, ETD corresponding to an estimated time ofdeparture, and PGTD corresponding to a projected gate departure. Eachdata header field in each row labels and/or describes the content of arespective data parameter field in columns 80 a, 80 b, 80 c, 80 d, 80 e,80 f, and 80 g.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 6A, with continuingreference to FIGS. 1-4, during the step 75, station-related parameters85 are displayed or otherwise outputted. The station-related parametersinclude station statistics 85 a for a station of interest, a graph of astation timeline 85 b, a station departure chart 85 c, a station arrivalchart 85 d, and a station gate demand chart 85 e. In one embodiment, thestation statistics 85 a report passenger misconnects and crew and curfewalerts across all flights at the station of interest. In one embodiment,each statistic displayed may be selected by the user to view furtherdetails regarding that specific statistic. For example, selecting “DEPCXL” in the station timeline 85 b will allow the user to view dataparameters relating to all departure cancellations. In one embodiment,the station timeline 85 b detects and highlights any fracture in theschedule by overlaying the projected arrival/departure times of flightswith corresponding schedule times, thereby displaying the amount ofdeviation from scheduled operation at the station of interest. In oneembodiment, the station departure chart 85 c provides the user with anhourly departure rate, an average departure delay, and a mediandeparture delay. In one embodiment, the station arrival chart 85 dprovides the user with an hourly arrival rate, an average arrival delay,and a median arrival delay. In one embodiment, the station gate demandchart 85 e provides the user with the projected demand for gates at thestation of interest.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 6B, with continuedreference to FIGS. 1-4, the station gate demand chart 85 e of FIG. 6A isenlarged to show a plurality of vertical lines 85 ea that represent theprojected demand for gates throughout a day. The width of each verticalline from the plurality of vertical lines 85 ea represents a time periodand the height of each vertical line from the plurality of verticallines 85 ea represents the total projected demand for gates in that timeperiod and is based on the projected delays of each flight. A line 85 ebrepresents the scheduled demand for gates throughout a day. A line 85 ecrepresents the physical number of gates available at the stations. Avertical line 85 ed represents the current time.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 6C, with continuedreference to FIGS. 1-4, the station arrival graph 85 d of FIG. 6 isenlarged to show a plurality of vertical lines 85 da that represent thetotal number of arrivals projected to arrive at a gate throughout theday. A line 85 db represents the total scheduled number of arrivals at agate through the day. A line 85 dc represents the current time.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 6D, with continuedreference to FIGS. 1-4, the station departure graph 85 c of FIG. 6 isenlarged to show a plurality of vertical lines 85 ca that represent thetotal number of departures projected to depart from a gate throughoutthe day. A line 85 cb represents the total scheduled number ofdepartures from a gate through the day. A line 85 cc represents thecurrent time.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 7, with continuingreference to FIGS. 1-4, during the step 75, crew related parameters 90are output, which includes captain 90 a and first officer 90 binformation, among others.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 8, with continuingreference to FIGS. 1-4, during the step 75, passenger related parameters95 are output, which includes parameters relating to unprotectedcustomers 95 a and another class of customers 95 b.

After reviewing the projected delays from the step 75, a user may beable to identify and respond to an ongoing or anticipated disruption atan airport or station of interest. In one embodiment, once it isdetermined by the system 10 that a response is required, the system 10may develop a proposed manual operation plan or a proposed automaticoperation plan, as shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B. That is, in one embodiment,after the method 60 is completed, the system 10 can begin the methodillustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a methodof operating the system 10 is generally referred to by the referencenumeral 100. The method 100 includes receiving data from the pluralityof data sources 40 in step 105, receiving operation data from a user atstep 110, and determining whether the user has designated manualoperation at step 115. If so, then manual operation parameters arereceived from the user at the step 120, and a proposed manual operationplan is generated by minimizing delays on every flight in the systemusing the data from the one or more data sources, and the manualoperation parameters from the user at step 125. If it is determined atthe step 115 that the user has not designated manual operation, then theautomatic operation parameters are received from the user at step 130,and a proposed automatic operation plan is generated by minimizingdelays on every flight, the total number of passenger misconnects, andthe excess gate demand using the data from the one or more data sourcesand the automatic operation parameters from the user at step 135. Themethod 100 also includes outputting proposed plan parameters at step140, filtering proposed plan parameters at step 170, and postingproposed plan parameters at step 175. The step 140 includes outputtingthe flight-related parameters 80, the station-related parameters 85, thecrew parameters 90, the passenger parameters 95, and the othertransportation system-related parameters 97. In one embodiment, themethod 100 is associated with the recovery mode of the system 10. Whilein the recovery mode, the system 10 generates a proposed plan to managedisruptions. In one embodiment, the system 10 can create a proposed planfor not only one station, but can create a proposed plan for the entiretransportation system. In several embodiments, the method 100 allows auser to develop and customize proposed plans to minimize excess gatedemand, minimize operations beyond an airport closure time, minimizepassenger misconnects, and minimize delays by recommendingflight-specific delays.

The step 105 is substantially similar to the step 65 of the method 60,and therefore will not be discussed in detail.

In an exemplary embodiment, operation data is received from the user atthe step 110 using an input chart 180 (shown in FIG. 10) that can bedisplayed on the input device 30 c. In one embodiment, the input chart180 has a selection box 185 that allows the user to designate between amanual operation of the system 10 or an automatic operation of thesystem 10.

As noted above, the system 10 determines whether the user has designatedmanual operation at the step 115. The system 10 uses the operation datareceived at the step 110 for this determination at the step 115.

As noted above, if the user has designated manual operation, then manualoperation parameters are received from the user at the step 120. Forexample, and as shown in FIG. 10, the manual operation parametersreceived from the user at the step 120 can relate to violations, airlineselection, plan type, delay start time and duration, and otherparameters. In one embodiment, the input chart 180 has a selection box190 that allows the user to designate that the proposed manual operationplan created at the step 125 should not include parameters that resultin duty day violations. In one embodiment, the input chart 180 has aselection box 195 that allows the user to designate that the proposedplan created in the step 125 should not include parameters that resultin curfew violations. In one embodiment, the input chart 180 hasmultiple selection boxes 200 that allow the user to designate an airlineto which delays will be applied. In one embodiment, the input chart 180has a column 205 of data parameter fields displayed on the input device30 c for scheduled hour, gate capacity, and desired delay. Each dataparameter field in the column 205 labels and/or describes the content ofa respective data parameter field in rows 205 a, 205 b, and 205 c. Inone embodiment, a delay parameter may be entered within a cell withinthe column 205 c to signify a user's desired delay, in minutes, whichcorresponds to a scheduled hour. In one embodiment, the input chart 180has a text box 210 that allows the user to enter the airport closuretime, a text box 215 that allows the user to enter a departurethreshold, which is a time period that prevents flights falling withinthe time period to receive a delay, a text box 220 that allows the userto enter a MOGT Inflation, which represents the additional ground timethat each aircraft will receive within the proposed manual operationplan, and a text box 225 that allows the user to enter a departure delayadjustment, which adjusts the amount of delay for each scheduled hour.In one embodiment, the input chart 180 has a selection box 230 thatallows the user to exclude flights by category, such as internationalmarkets, domestic markets, region, etc., exclude flights by flight, orexclude flights by default. The manual operation parameters receivedfrom the user are used to create a customized proposed manual operationplan by the system 10.

As shown in FIG. 9A, at the step 125, the system 10 generates a proposedmanual operation plan by minimizing delays on every flight in thetransportation system using the data from the one or more data sources40 and the manual operation parameters from the user. In severalembodiments, the system 10 generates a proposed manual operation plan,which ensures that a delay allocated to each flight is not more thanwhat is dictated by the greater of 1) late arriving resources, such ascrew and aircraft, 2) existing delays on the flight, such as publisheddelays or ATC imposed delays, and 3) a user-specified delay on a flight.In an exemplary embodiment, the system 10 uses a mixed-integer programto create the proposed manual operation plan at the step 125. In oneembodiment, the mixed-integer program used at the step 125 can bedescribed as follows:

-   -   Minimize

$\begin{matrix}{{\sum\limits_{f \in F}w_{f}^{a}} + {\sum\limits_{f \in F}w_{f}^{d}}} & (8)\end{matrix}$

-   -   Subject to        y _(f) −x _(g) ≥T _(p) , ∀f,p=(g,f)∈P ^(f)  (9)        x _(f) ₁ −x _(f) ₂ ≥0, ∀m,(f ₁ ,f ₂)∈{{circumflex over (x)} _(f)        ₁ ≥{circumflex over (x)} _(f) ₂ ,f ₁ ,f ₂ ∈F ^(m)}  (10)        x _(f) ^(LB) ≤x _(f) , ∀f∈F  (11)        y _(f) ^(LB) ≤y _(f) , ∀f∈F  (12)        w _(f) ^(d) =y _(f) −ŷ _(f) , ∀f∈F  (13)        w _(f) ^(a) =x _(f) −{circumflex over (x)} _(f) , ∀f∈F.  (14)

In several exemplary embodiments, the objective of function (8) is tominimize the departure delay and the arrival delay on each flight.Constraint set (9) ensures that a flight is not allowed to depart untilall the resources required to operate the flight (crew and aircraft) are“ready” (arrived and ready to operate the flight). Constraint set (10)ensures that in every market (Origin-Destination combination), thearrival order of any two flights in that market is the same as thescheduled order of those two flights. That is, the arrival order ispreserved. Constraint set (11) ensures that the arrival time of eachflight is greater than the allowable arrival lower bound. The arrivallower bound is determined as the maximum of ({circumflex over (x)}_(f),x_(f) ^(L), x_(f) ^(P), P_(f) ^(a)). Constraint set (12) ensures thatthe departure time of each flight is greater than the allowabledeparture lower bound. The departure lower bound is determined as themaximum of (ŷ_(f), y_(f) ^(L), y_(f) ^(P), P_(f) ^(d)). Constraint set(13) computes a proposed manual departure delay for each flight, theproposed manual departure delay being the difference between theproposed manual departure time and the scheduled departure time.Constraint set (14) computes a proposed manual arrival delay for eachflight, the proposed manual arrival delay being the difference betweenthe proposed manual arrival time and the scheduled arrival time.

As shown in FIG. 11, at the step 140, the output device 30 d outputs theproposed plan parameters using an output display 235. The parameters145, 150, 155, 160, and 165 are substantially similar to the parameters80, 85, 90, 95, and 97, respectively, of the system 60, and thereforewill not be discussed in detail. In some embodiments, only one parameterfrom the proposed plan parameters 145, 150, 155, 160, and 165 will bedisplayed on the output display 235.

As shown in FIG. 9B, at the step 170, the system 10 receives filterparameters from the user. Filter parameters are selected by the user,using the output display 235, to filter the proposed plan parameters145, 150, 155, 160, and 165. In one embodiment and as shown in FIG. 11,the output display 235 has a plurality of text boxes 240 that allow theuser to input filter parameters to filter the parameters 145, 150, 155,160, and 165. Filter parameters can be an upcoming time duration orminimum delay threshold.

As shown in FIG. 9B, at the step 175, the system 10 may post theproposed plan parameters 145, 150, 155, 160 to interested parties afterreceiving post instruction from the user, using the post button 245 onthe output display 235 in FIG. 11. In several embodiments, the steps105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 140, 170, and 175 are completed to use themanual operation mode of the system 10.

However, if at the step 115 the system 10 determines that the user didnot designate manual operation, then the next step of the method 100 isnot the step 120, as described above, but the step 130.

If the system 10 determines that the user did not designate manualoperation, automatic operation parameters are received from the user atthe step 130 using an input chart 250 (shown in FIG. 12). For example,and as shown in FIG. 12, the automatic operation parameters that can bereceived from the user at the step 130 can relate to violations, airlineselection, plan type, delay start time and duration, and otherparameters. In one embodiment, the input chart 250 has a selection box255 that allows the user to designate that the proposed automaticoperation plan created at the step 135 should only include parametersthat do not result in duty day violations. In one embodiment, the inputchart 250 has a selection box 260 that allows the user to designate thatthe proposed automatic operation plan created at the step 135 shouldonly include parameters that do not result in curfew violations. In oneembodiment, the input chart 250 has multiple selection boxes 265 thatallow the user to designate an airline to which delays will be applied.In one embodiment, the input chart 250 has a column 270 of dataparameter fields displayed on the input device 30 c for scheduled hour,gate capacity, and diversion metering rate. Each data parameter field inthe column 270 labels and/or describes the content of a respective dataparameter field in rows 270 a, 270 b, and 270 c. In one embodiment, agate capacity parameter may be entered within a cell within the row 270b to signify how many gates have capacity at any scheduled hour. In oneembodiment, a diversion metering rate parameter may be entered within acell within the row 270 c to reserve additional gate space (beyond whatis entered in the gate capacity row 270 b) for returning diversions. Inone embodiment, the input chart 250 has a text box 275 that allows theuser to enter the airport closure time, a text box 280 that allows theuser to enter a departure threshold time period, which is a time periodthat prevents flights falling within the departure threshold time periodto receive a delay, a text box 285 that allows the user to enter a MOGTInflation, which represents a time period of additional ground time thateach aircraft will receive within the system 10, and a text box 290 thatallows the user to enter maximum total delay, which represents themaximum total delay that any flight will receive. In one embodiment, theinput chart 250 has a selection box 295 that allows the user to excludeflights by category, such as international markets, domestic markets,region, etc., exclude flights by flight, or exclude flights by default.

As shown in FIG. 9A, at the step 135, the system 10 generates a proposedautomatic operation plan by minimizing proposed automatic arrival delaysand proposed automatic departure delays on every flight in thetransportation system, minimizing the total number of passengermisconnects, and minimizing the excess gate demand using the data fromthe one or more data sources and the automatic operation parameters fromthe user. In several embodiments, the system 10 recommends optimalarrival delay and optimal departure delays on each flight whileanticipating the effect of each recommended delay on every other flightin the system. At the step 135, the system 10 ensures that the proposedautomatic arrival delay and the proposed automatic departure delayallocated to each flight is not more than what is dictated by thegreater of 1) departure delay and arrival delay on every flight, 2)total number of passenger misconnects, and 3) excess gate demand(relative to the supply of gates). In an exemplary embodiment, thesystem 10 uses a mixed-integer program to create the proposed automaticoperation plan at the step 135. In one embodiment, the mixed-integerprogram used at the step 135 can be described as follows:

-   -   Minimize

$\begin{matrix}{{\sum\limits_{f \in F}w_{f}^{a}} + {\sum\limits_{f \in F}w_{f}^{d}} + {\sum\limits_{c \in C}{w_{c}z_{c}}} + {\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{N + 1}{\overset{\_}{C}\delta^{i}}}} & (15)\end{matrix}$

-   -   Subject to

$\begin{matrix}\begin{matrix}{{{y_{f} - x_{g}} \geq T_{p}},} & {{\forall f},{p = {\left( {g,f} \right) \in P^{f}}}}\end{matrix} & (16) \\\begin{matrix}{{{x_{f_{1}} - x_{f_{2}}} \geq 0},} & {{\forall m},{\left( {f_{1},f_{2}} \right) \in \left\{ {{{\hat{x}}_{f_{1}} \geq {\hat{x}}_{f_{2}}},f_{1},{f_{2} \in F^{m}}} \right\}}}\end{matrix} & (17) \\\begin{matrix}{{x_{f}^{LB} \leq x_{f}},} & {\forall{f \in F}}\end{matrix} & (18) \\\begin{matrix}{{y_{f}^{LB} \leq y_{f}},} & {\forall{f \in F}}\end{matrix} & (19) \\\begin{matrix}{{w_{f}^{d} = {y_{f} - {\hat{y}}_{f}}},} & {\forall{f \in F}}\end{matrix} & (20) \\\begin{matrix}{{w_{f}^{a} = {x_{f} - {\hat{x}}_{f}}},} & {\forall{f \in F}}\end{matrix} & (21) \\\begin{matrix}{{{Mz}_{c} \geq {\left( {x_{g} + T_{c}} \right) - y_{f}}},} & {{\forall c} = {\left( {g,f} \right) \in C}}\end{matrix} & (22) \\\begin{matrix}{{x_{a} = {{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{N + 1}{s^{i}u_{a}^{i}}} + f_{a}}},} & {\forall{a \in A}}\end{matrix} & (23) \\\begin{matrix}{{y_{d} = {{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{N + 1}{s^{i}v_{d}^{i}}} + h_{d}}},} & {\forall{d \in D}}\end{matrix} & (24) \\\begin{matrix}{{{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{N + 1}u_{a}^{i}} = 1},} & {\forall{a \in A}}\end{matrix} & (25) \\\begin{matrix}{{{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{N + 1}v_{d}^{i}} = 1},} & {\forall{d \in D}}\end{matrix} & (26) \\{{{{\sum\limits_{\substack{{c = {{({g,f})} \in P^{f}}}, \\ f \in F}}\left( {{\sum\limits_{j = 1}^{i}u_{g}^{j}} + {\sum\limits_{j = i}^{N + 1}v_{f}^{j}} - 1} \right)} - \delta^{i} + \lambda^{i}} = Q^{i}},{{\forall i} = 1},\ldots\mspace{20mu},{N + 1}} & (27) \\\begin{matrix}{{0 \leq f_{a} \leq {I - ɛ}},} & {{\forall{a \in A}},{d \in D}}\end{matrix} & (28) \\\begin{matrix}{{0 \leq h_{d} \leq {I - ɛ}},} & {{\forall{a \in A}},{d \in D}}\end{matrix} & (29) \\\begin{matrix}{{u_{a}^{i} \in \left\{ {0,1} \right\}},} & {{\forall{a \in A}},{i = 1},\ldots\mspace{20mu},{N + 1}}\end{matrix} & (30) \\\begin{matrix}{{v_{d}^{i} \in \left\{ {0,1} \right\}},} & {{\forall{d \in D}},{i = 1},\ldots\mspace{20mu},{N + 1}}\end{matrix} & (31) \\\begin{matrix}{{{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{N + 1}u_{f}^{i}} = 0},} & {\forall{f \notin A}}\end{matrix} & (32) \\\begin{matrix}{{{\sum\limits_{i = 1}^{N + 1}v_{f}^{i}} = 0},} & {\forall{f \notin D}}\end{matrix} & (33) \\\begin{matrix}{{\delta^{i} \geq 0},} & {{{\forall i} = 1},\ldots\mspace{20mu},{N + 1}}\end{matrix} & (34) \\\begin{matrix}{{\lambda^{i} \geq 0},} & {{{\forall i} = 1},\ldots\mspace{20mu},{N + 1}}\end{matrix} & (35)\end{matrix}$

In several embodiments, the objective of function (15) is to minimize adeparture delay and an arrival delay on each flight, total number ofpassenger misconnects, and excess gate demand (relative to the supply ofgates). Constraint set (16) ensures that a flight is not allowed todepart until all the resources required to operate the flight (crew andaircraft) are available or “ready” (arrived and ready to operate theflight). Constraint set (17) ensures that in every market(Origin-Destination combination), the arrival order of any two flightsin that market is the same as the scheduled order of those two flights.That is, the arrival order is preserved. Constraint set (18) ensuresthat an arrival time of each flight is greater than the allowablearrival lower bound. The arrival lower bound is determined as themaximum of ({circumflex over (x)}_(f), x_(f) ^(L), x_(f) ^(P)).Constraint set (19) ensures that a departure time of each flight isgreater than the departure allowable lower bound. The departure lowerbound is determined as the maximum of (ŷ_(f), y_(f) ^(L), y_(f) ^(P)).Constraint set (20) computes a proposed automatic departure delay foreach flight, the proposed automatic departure delay being the differencebetween the proposed automatic departure time and the scheduleddeparture time. Constraint set (21) computes a proposed automaticarrival delay for each flight, the proposed automatic arrival delaybeing the difference between the proposed automatic departure time andthe scheduled departure time. Constraint set (22) determines whether ornot the passengers are misconnecting a second leg of their connection. Apassenger's travel itinerary to travel from one beginning location to anend location can comprise of a passenger connection with multiple legs.Constraint set (23) identifies a time interval within which an arrivaltime of each arrival falls. In some embodiments, this is done only forthe arrivals at the station of interest. Constraint set (24) identifiesa time interval within which a departure time of each arrival falls. Insome embodiments, this is done only for the departures at the station ofinterest. Constraint set (25) ensures that the arrival time of eacharrival at the station of interest belongs to only one time interval.Constraint set (26) ensures that the departure time of each departure atthe station of interest belongs to only one time interval. Constraintset (27) computes the difference between the demand for gates in thatinterval and the supply of gates in the same interval at the station ofinterest and for every time interval. Constraint set (28) is asupporting constraint that ensures that the arrival time for eacharrival at the station of interest is flagged to belong to the correcttime interval. Constraint set (29) is a supporting constraint thatensures that the departure time for each departure at the station ofinterest is flagged to belong to the correct time interval. Constraintset (30) ensures that the supporting variables for arrival flights arebinary. Constraint set (31) ensures that the supporting variables fordeparture flights are binary. Constraint set (32) ensures that flightsthat are not arriving at the station of interest do not contribute tothe demand for gates at that station. Constraint set (33) ensures thatflights that are not departing from the station of interest do notcontribute to the demand for gates at that station. Constraint set (34)forces surplus variable to be positive. Constraint set (35) forces slackvariable to be positive.

After the step 135, the next step is the step 140, followed by the steps170 and 175, as described above.

In several embodiments, any step within the method 100 may be omitted.For example, the system 10 may not receive filter parameters at the step170 before posting proposed plan parameters.

In one embodiment, the system 10 stores or saves proposed manualoperation plans and proposed automatic operation plans for a duration oftime for future retrieval and implementation. In several embodiments,the duration of time is 72 hours.

In one embodiment, the system 10 may be used to simulate a futuredisruption based on historical parameters or parameters provided by theuser.

In an exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 13 with continuingreference to FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, 7, 8, 9A, 9B, 10, 11,and 12, an illustrative computing device 1000 for implementing one ormore embodiments of one or more of the above-described networks,elements, methods and/or steps, and/or any combination thereof, isdepicted. The computing device 1000 includes a processor 1000 a, aninput device 1000 b, a storage device 1000 c, a video controller 1000 d,a system memory 1000 e, a display 1000 f, and a communication device1000 g, all of which are interconnected by one or more buses 1000 h. Inseveral exemplary embodiments, the storage device 1000 c may include afloppy drive, hard drive, CD-ROM, optical drive, any other form ofstorage device and/or any combination thereof. In several exemplaryembodiments, the storage device 1000 c may include, and/or be capable ofreceiving, a floppy disk, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, or any other form of computerreadable medium that may contain executable instructions. In severalexemplary embodiments, the communication device 1000 g may include amodem, network card, or any other device to enable the computing device1000 to communicate with other computing devices. In several exemplaryembodiments, any computing device represents a plurality ofinterconnected (whether by intranet or Internet) computer systems,including without limitation, personal computers, mainframes, PDAs,smartphones and cell phones.

In several exemplary embodiments, one or more of the functional module14, the computer processor 15, the computer readable medium 20, thedatabase 25, the remote user device 30, and/or one or more componentsthereof, are, or at least include, the computing device 1000 and/orcomponents thereof, and/or one or more computing devices that aresubstantially similar to the computing device 1000 and/or componentsthereof. In several exemplary embodiments, one or more of theabove-described components of one or more of the computing device 1000,the functional module 14, the computer processor 15, the computerreadable medium 20, the database 25, and/or one or more componentsthereof, include respective pluralities of same components.

In several exemplary embodiments, a computer system typically includesat least hardware capable of executing machine readable instructions, aswell as the software for executing acts (typically machine-readableinstructions) that produce a desired result. In several exemplaryembodiments, a computer system may include hybrids of hardware andsoftware, as well as computer sub-systems.

In several exemplary embodiments, hardware generally includes at leastprocessor-capable platforms, such as client-machines (also known aspersonal computers or servers), and hand-held processing devices (suchas smart phones, tablet computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs),or personal computing devices (PCDs), for example). In several exemplaryembodiments, hardware may include any physical device that is capable ofstoring machine-readable instructions, such as memory or other datastorage devices. In several exemplary embodiments, other forms ofhardware include hardware sub-systems, including transfer devices suchas modems, modem cards, ports, and port cards, for example.

In several exemplary embodiments, software includes any machine codestored in any memory medium, such as RAM or ROM, and machine code storedon other devices (such as floppy disks, flash memory, or a CD ROM, forexample). In several exemplary embodiments, software may include sourceor object code. In several exemplary embodiments, software encompassesany set of instructions capable of being executed on a computing devicesuch as, for example, on a client machine or server.

In several exemplary embodiments, combinations of software and hardwarecould also be used for providing enhanced functionality and performancefor certain embodiments of the present disclosure. In an exemplaryembodiment, software functions may be directly manufactured into asilicon chip. Accordingly, it should be understood that combinations ofhardware and software are also included within the definition of acomputer system and are thus envisioned by the present disclosure aspossible equivalent structures and equivalent methods.

In several exemplary embodiments, computer readable mediums include, forexample, passive data storage, such as a random access memory (RAM) aswell as semi-permanent data storage such as a compact disk read onlymemory (CD-ROM). One or more exemplary embodiments of the presentdisclosure may be embodied in the RAM of a computer to transform astandard computer into a new specific computing machine. In severalexemplary embodiments, data structures are defined organizations of datathat may enable an embodiment of the present disclosure. In an exemplaryembodiment, a data structure may provide an organization of data, or anorganization of executable code.

In several exemplary embodiments, the network 35, and/or one or moreportions thereof, may be designed to work on any specific architecture.In an exemplary embodiment, one or more portions of the network 35 maybe executed on a single computer, local area networks, client-servernetworks, wide area networks, internets, hand-held and other portableand wireless devices and networks.

In several exemplary embodiments, a database may be any standard orproprietary database software, such as Oracle, Microsoft Access, SyBase,or DBase II, for example. In several exemplary embodiments, the databasemay have fields, records, data, and other database elements that may beassociated through database specific software. In several exemplaryembodiments, data may be mapped. In several exemplary embodiments,mapping is the process of associating one data entry with another dataentry. In an exemplary embodiment, the data contained in the location ofa character file can be mapped to a field in a second table. In severalexemplary embodiments, the physical location of the database is notlimiting, and the database may be distributed. In an exemplaryembodiment, the database may exist remotely from the server, and run ona separate platform. In an exemplary embodiment, the database may beaccessible across the Internet. In several exemplary embodiments, morethan one database may be implemented.

In several exemplary embodiments, a computer program, such as aplurality of instructions stored on a computer readable medium, such asthe computer readable medium 20, the system memory 1000 e, and/or anycombination thereof, may be executed by a processor to cause theprocessor to carry out or implement in whole or in part the operation ofthe system 10, one or more of the methods 60 and 100, and/or anycombination thereof. In several exemplary embodiments, such a processormay include one or more of the computer processor 15, the processor 1000a, and/or any combination thereof. In several exemplary embodiments,such a processor may execute the plurality of instructions in connectionwith a virtual computer system.

A method has been described that includes receiving, using a computer,transportation-related data associated with a plurality of travel legs;and determining, using the computer, a projected departure delay and aprojected arrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality of travellegs, wherein the projected departure delay is the difference between aprojected departure time and a scheduled departure time of the travelleg, wherein the projected arrival delay is the difference between aprojected arrival time and a scheduled arrival time of the travel leg,and wherein each of the projected departure delay and the projectedarrival delay is not more than the greater of: a resources delayrelating to a delay necessary to provide the travel leg with resourcesrequired for the departure of the travel leg, and an existing delayassociated with the travel leg; wherein determining the projecteddeparture delay and the projected arrival delay for each travel leg fromthe plurality of travel legs comprises minimizing the sum of theprojected departure delays and the projected arrival delays while:ensuring that each travel leg departs a departure location with theresources required for the departure of the travel leg; and preservingan arrival order of two or more of the travel legs at an arrivallocation. In an exemplary embodiment, the sum of the projected departuredelays and the projected arrival delays are minimized while: ensuringthat an arrival time of each travel leg is later than an allowablearrival lower bound time; and ensuring that a departure time of eachtravel leg is later than an allowable departure lower bound time. In anexemplary embodiment, the method also includes outputting parametersassociated with the projected departure delays and the projected arrivaldelays. In an exemplary embodiment, the method also includes receiving,using the computer, manual operation parameters, the manual operationparameters including a user-specified delay on a travel leg from theplurality of travel legs; and generating, using the computer, a proposedmanual plan having a projected manual departure delay and a projectedmanual arrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality of travellegs, wherein the projected manual departure delay is the differencebetween a projected manual departure time and a scheduled departure timeof the travel leg, wherein the projected manual arrival delay is thedifference between a projected manual arrival time and a scheduledarrival time of the travel leg, and wherein each of the projected manualdeparture delay and the projected manual arrival delay is not more thanthe greater of: the resources delay, the existing delay associated withthe travel leg, and the user-specified delay on the travel leg; whereingenerating the projected manual departure delay and the projected manualarrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality of travel legscomprises minimizing the sum of the projected manual departure delaysand the projected manual arrival delays while: ensuring that each travelleg departs a departure location with the resources required for thedeparture of the travel leg; and preserving an arrival order of two ormore of the travel legs at an arrival location. In an exemplaryembodiment, the transportation-related data comprises the resourcesdelay; the existing delay associated with the travel leg; the arrivalorder of the two or more travel legs at the arrival location; thescheduled arrival time for each travel leg; and the scheduled departuretime for each travel leg. In an exemplary embodiment, the method alsoincludes receiving, using the computer, automatic operation parameters;and generating, using the computer, a proposed automatic plan having aprojected automatic departure delay and a projected automatic arrivaldelay for each travel leg from the plurality of travel legs, wherein theprojected automatic departure delay is the difference between aprojected automatic departure time and a scheduled departure time of thetravel leg, wherein the projected automatic arrival delay is thedifference between a projected automatic arrival time and a scheduledarrival time of the travel leg; wherein generating the projectedautomatic departure delay and the projected automatic arrival delay foreach travel leg from the plurality of travel legs comprises minimizingthe sum of the projected automatic departure delays and the projectedautomatic arrival delays, the number of passenger misconnects, andexcess gate demand, while: ensuring that each travel leg departs adeparture location with the resources required for the departure of thetravel leg; and preserving an arrival order of two or more of the travellegs at an arrival location. In an exemplary embodiment, the travel legis an airline flight.

A method has been described that includes receiving, using a computer,data associated with a plurality of travel legs; identifying, using thecomputer: a resources delay relating to a delay necessary to provide atravel leg from the plurality of travel legs with resources required forthe departure of the travel leg, and an existing delay associated withthe travel leg; determining, using the computer, a projected arrivaldelay and a projected departure delay based on the resources delay andthe existing delay; outputting, using the computer, parameters relatingto the projected arrival delay and the projected departure delay;receiving, using the computer, operation parameters; and generating,using the computer, a proposed operation plan using the projectedarrival delay, the projected departure delay, and the operationparameters. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the operationparameters are manually inputted. In an exemplary embodiment, one ormore of the operation parameters are automatically generated.

An apparatus has been described that includes a non-transitory computerreadable medium; and a plurality of instructions stored on thenon-transitory computer readable medium and executable by one or moreprocessors, the plurality of instructions comprising: instructions thatcause the one or more processors to receive transportation-related dataassociated with a plurality of travel legs; and instructions that causethe one or more processors to determine a projected departure delay anda projected arrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality oftravel legs; wherein the projected departure delay is the differencebetween a projected departure time and a scheduled departure time of thetravel leg, wherein the projected arrival delay is the differencebetween a projected arrival time and a scheduled arrival time of thetravel leg, and wherein each of the projected departure delay and theprojected arrival delay is not more than the greater of: a resourcesdelay relating to a delay necessary to provide the travel leg withresources required for the departure of the travel leg, and an existingdelay associated with the travel leg; wherein the instructions thatcause the one or more processors to generate the projected departuredelay and the projected arrival delay for each travel leg from theplurality of travel legs comprise instructions that cause the one ormore processors to minimize the sum of the projected departure delaysand the projected arrival delays while: ensuring that each travel legdeparts a departure location with the resources required for thedeparture of the travel leg; and preserving an arrival order of two ormore of the travel legs at an arrival location. In an exemplaryembodiment, the sum of the projected departure delays and the projectedarrival delays are minimized while: ensuring that an arrival time ofeach travel leg is later than an allowable arrival lower bound time; andensuring that a departure time of each travel leg is later than anallowable departure lower bound time. In an exemplary embodiment, theplurality of instructions further comprises: instructions that cause theone or more processors to output parameters associated with theprojected departure delays and the projected arrival delays. In anexemplary embodiment, the plurality of instructions further comprises:instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive manualoperation parameters, the manual operation parameters including auser-specified delay on a travel leg from the plurality of travel legs;and instructions that cause the one or more processors to generate aproposed manual plan having a projected manual departure delay and aprojected manual arrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality oftravel legs, wherein the projected manual departure delay is thedifference between a projected manual departure time and a scheduleddeparture time of the travel leg, wherein the projected manual arrivaldelay is the difference between a projected manual arrival time and ascheduled arrival time of the travel leg, and wherein each of theprojected manual departure delay and the projected manual arrival delayis not more than the greater of: the resources delay, the existing delayassociated with the travel leg, and the user-specified delay on thetravel leg; wherein instructions that cause the one or more processorsto generate the projected manual departure delay and the projectedmanual arrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality of travellegs comprise instructions that cause the one or more processors tominimize the sum of the projected manual departure delays and theprojected manual arrival delays while: ensuring that each travel legdeparts a departure location with the resources required for thedeparture of the travel leg; and preserving an arrival order of two ormore of the travel legs at an arrival location. In an exemplaryembodiment, the transportation-related data comprises the resourcesdelay; the existing delay associated with the travel leg; the arrivalorder of two or more of the travel legs at an arrival location; thescheduled arrival time for each travel leg; and the scheduled departuretime for each travel leg. In an exemplary embodiment, the apparatus alsoincludes instructions that cause the one or more processors to receiveautomatic operation parameters; and instructions that cause the one ormore processors to generate a proposed automatic plan having a projectedautomatic departure delay and a projected automatic arrival delay foreach travel leg from the plurality of travel legs, wherein the projectedautomatic departure delay is the difference between a projectedautomatic departure time and a scheduled departure time of the travelleg, wherein the projected automatic arrival delay is the differencebetween a projected automatic arrival time and a scheduled arrival timeof the travel leg; wherein instructions that cause the one or moreprocessors to generate the projected automatic departure delay and theprojected automatic arrival delay for each travel leg from the pluralityof travel legs comprise instructions that cause the one or moreprocessors to minimize the sum of the projected automatic departuredelays and the projected automatic arrival delays, the number ofpassenger misconnects, and excess gate demand, while: ensuring that eachtravel leg departs a departure location with the resources required forthe departure of the travel leg; and preserving an arrival order of twoor more of the travel legs at an arrival location. In an exemplaryembodiment, the travel leg is an airline flight.

An apparatus has been described that includes a non-transitory computerreadable medium; and a plurality of instructions stored on thenon-transitory computer readable medium and executable by one or moreprocessors, the plurality of instructions comprising: instructions thatcause the one or more processors to receive data associated with aplurality of travel legs; instructions that cause the one or moreprocessors to identify: a resources delay relating to a delay necessaryto provide a travel leg from the plurality of travel legs with resourcesrequired for the departure of the travel leg, and an existing delayassociated with the travel leg; instructions that cause the one or moreprocessors to determine a projected arrival delay and a projecteddeparture delay based on the resources delay and the existing delay;instructions that cause the one or more processors to output parametersrelating to the projected arrival delay and the projected departuredelay; instructions that cause the one or more processors to receiveoperation parameters; and instructions that cause the one or moreprocessors to generate a proposed operation plan using the projectedarrival delay, the projected departure delay, and the operationparameters. In an exemplary embodiment, one or more of the operationparameters are manually inputted. In an exemplary embodiment, one ormore of the operation parameters are automatically generated.

It is understood that variations may be made in the foregoing withoutdeparting from the scope of the disclosure. For example, instead of, orin addition to transportation transactions often conducted in the courseof airline industry business, aspects of the present disclosure areapplicable and/or readily adaptable to transportation transactionsconducted in other industries, including rail, bus, cruise and othertravel or shipping industries, rental car industries, hotels and otherhospitality industries, entertainment industries, and other industries.In an exemplary embodiment, aspects of the present disclosure arereadily applicable and/or readily adaptable to a shipping transactionbefore, during or after which a ship travels from one port to anotherport and, in some case, on to one or more other ports. In an exemplaryembodiment, aspects of the present disclosure are readily applicableand/or readily adaptable to a trucking transaction before, during orafter which a truck travels from one location to another location and,in some case, on to one or more other locations. In an exemplaryembodiment, aspects of the present disclosure are readily applicableand/or readily adaptable to a rail transaction before, during or afterwhich a train travels from one city or station to another city orstation and, in some cases, on to one or more other cities or stations.In an exemplary embodiment, aspects of the present disclosure areapplicable and/or readily adaptable to a wide variety of transportationtransactions such as, for example, an airline sequence, a leg of anairline sequence, an airline block, and/or any combination thereof.

In several exemplary embodiments, the elements and teachings of thevarious illustrative exemplary embodiments may be combined in whole orin part in some or all of the illustrative exemplary embodiments. Inaddition, one or more of the elements and teachings of the variousillustrative exemplary embodiments may be omitted, at least in part,and/or combined, at least in part, with one or more of the otherelements and teachings of the various illustrative embodiments.

Any spatial references such as, for example, “upper,” “lower,” “above,”“below,” “between,” “bottom,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “angular,”“upwards,” “downwards,” “side-to-side,” “left-to-right,”“right-to-left,” “top-to-bottom,” “bottom-to-top,” “top,” “bottom,”“bottom-up,” “top-down,” etc., are for the purpose of illustration onlyand do not limit the specific orientation or location of the structuredescribed above.

In several exemplary embodiments, while different steps, processes, andprocedures are described as appearing as distinct acts, one or more ofthe steps, one or more of the processes, and/or one or more of theprocedures may also be performed in different orders, simultaneouslyand/or sequentially. In several exemplary embodiments, the steps,processes and/or procedures may be merged into one or more steps,processes and/or procedures.

In several exemplary embodiments, one or more of the operational stepsin each embodiment may be omitted. Moreover, in some instances, somefeatures of the present disclosure may be employed without acorresponding use of the other features. Moreover, one or more of theabove-described embodiments and/or variations may be combined in wholeor in part with any one or more of the other above-described embodimentsand/or variations.

Although several exemplary embodiments have been described in detailabove, the embodiments described are exemplary only and are notlimiting, and those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that manyother modifications, changes and/or substitutions are possible in theexemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novelteachings and advantages of the present disclosure. Accordingly, allsuch modifications, changes and/or substitutions are intended to beincluded within the scope of this disclosure as defined in the followingclaims. In the claims, means-plus-function clauses are intended to coverthe structures described herein as performing the recited function andnot only structural equivalents, but also equivalent structures.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for proposing an intentional delay forat least one travel leg from a plurality of travel legs of atransportation system, the method comprising: receiving, using acomputer, transportation-related data associated with the plurality oftravel legs from at least one of: a dispatch environmental controlcomputer system; an enhanced reservation computer system; anoff-schedule operations computer system; a flight operating computersystem; and an aircraft communication addressing and reporting computersystem; analyzing, using the computer, the transportation-related datato generate a projected departure delay and a projected arrival delayfor each travel leg from the plurality of travel legs, wherein theprojected departure delay is the difference between a projecteddeparture time and a scheduled departure time of the travel leg, whereinthe projected arrival delay is the difference between a projectedarrival time and a scheduled arrival time of the travel leg, whereineach of the projected departure delay and the projected arrival delay isnot more than the greater of: a resources delay relating to a delaynecessary to provide the travel leg with resources required for thedeparture of the travel leg, and an existing delay associated with thetravel leg; and wherein determining the projected departure delay andthe projected arrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality oftravel legs comprises minimizing the sum of the projected departuredelays and the projected arrival delays while: ensuring that each travelleg departs a departure location with the resources required for thedeparture of the travel leg; and preserving an arrival order of two ormore of the travel legs at an arrival location; determining, using thecomputer, a projected excess gate demand for a plurality of gates withinthe transportation system and a projected number of passengermisconnects based on the projected departure delays and the projectedarrival delays; outputting on a graphical user interface of the computera first interface displaying the projected excess gate demand for theplurality of gates at a first location within the transportation systemand the projected number of passenger misconnects, comprising:displaying, in a gate demand display region of the first interface, aplurality of bars representing projected demand for the plurality ofgates at the first location over a period of time, wherein a width ofeach bar—along a time axis—represents a time period within the period oftime, and a height of each bar—along a demand axis that is perpendicularto the time axis-represents the total projected demand for gates in thattime period; displaying, in the gate demand display region of the firstinterface, a first line imposed over the plurality of bars, wherein thefirst line represents a scheduled demand for the plurality of gates atthe first location for each time period within the period of time;displaying, in the gate demand display region of the first interface, asecond line—extending parallel to the time axis—positioned perpendicularto the demand axis at a position representing a physical number of gatesthat are available at the first location; and displaying, in the gatedemand display region of the graphical user interface, a thirdline—extending parallel to the demand axis—positioned perpendicular tothe time axis at a position representing the current time; wherein aprojected excess gate demand is depicted when a height of any barextends over the second line; generating, in response to the projectedexcess gate demand and the projected number of passenger misconnectsillustrated on the first interface, either: a first recommended planhaving a first recommended projected departure delay and a firstrecommended projected arrival delay for each travel leg from theplurality of travel legs; or a second recommended proposed plan having asecond recommended projected departure delay and a second recommendedprojected arrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality of travellegs; wherein generating the first recommended plan having the firstrecommended projected departure delay and the first recommendedprojected arrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality of travellegs comprises: displaying a second interface on the graphical userinterface, wherein the second interface comprises: a first input fieldconfigured to receive, for each time period within the period of time, auser-specified delay on a travel leg from the plurality of travel legs;and a second input field configured to receive an airport closure time;receiving first operation parameters from a user via the secondinterface, the first operation parameters including: a user-specifieddelay on a travel leg from the plurality of travel legs for a timeperiod; and the airport closure time; wherein the first recommendedprojected departure delay is the difference between a first recommendedprojected departure time and the scheduled departure time of the travelleg, wherein the first recommended projected arrival delay is thedifference between a first recommended projected arrival time and thescheduled arrival time of the travel leg, and wherein each of the firstrecommended projected departure delay and the first recommendedprojected arrival delay is not more than the greater of:  the resourcesdelay,  the existing delay associated with the travel leg, and  theuser-specified delay on the travel leg; and minimizing the sum of thefirst recommended projected departure delays and the first recommendedprojected arrival delays while: ensuring that each travel leg departsthe departure location with the resources required for the departure ofthe travel leg; and preserving the arrival order of two or more of thetravel legs at the arrival location; and wherein generating the secondrecommended proposed plan having the second recommended projecteddeparture delay and the second recommended projected arrival delay foreach travel leg from the plurality of travel legs comprises: receiving,using the computer, second operation parameters from the user, thesecond operation parameters including the airport closure time; whereinthe second recommended projected departure delay is the differencebetween a second recommended projected departure time and the scheduleddeparture time of the travel leg, and wherein the second recommendedprojected arrival delay is the difference between a second recommendedprojected arrival time and the scheduled arrival time of the travel leg;and minimizing the sum of the second recommended projected departuredelays, the second recommended projected arrival delays, the projectednumber of passenger misconnects, and the projected excess gate demand,while: ensuring that each travel leg departs the departure location withthe resources required for the departure of the travel leg; andpreserving the arrival order of two or more of the travel legs at thearrival location; outputting on a third interface on the graphical userinterface at least one of the first recommended projected departuredelay, the first recommended projected arrival delay, the secondrecommended projected departure delay, and the second recommendedprojected arrival delay as the proposed intentional delay that reducesat least one of the projected excess gate demand and the projectednumber of passenger misconnects; and that minimizes operations beyondthe airport closure time; and implementing the proposed intentionaldelay to transform a state of an aircraft associated with one of theplurality of travel legs to a delayed state.
 2. The method of claim 1wherein the sum of the projected departure delays and the projectedarrival delays are minimized while: ensuring that an arrival time ofeach travel leg is later than an allowable arrival lower bound time; andensuring that a departure time of each travel leg is later than anallowable departure lower bound time.
 3. The method of claim 1, whereinthe transportation-related data comprises the resources delay; theexisting delay associated with the travel leg; the arrival order of thetwo or more travel legs at the arrival location; the scheduled arrivaltime for each travel leg; and the scheduled departure time for eachtravel leg.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the travel leg is anairline flight.
 5. An apparatus for proposing an intentional delay forat least one travel leg from a plurality of travel legs of atransportation system, the apparatus comprising: a non-transitorycomputer readable medium; and a plurality of instructions stored on thenon-transitory computer readable medium and executable by one or moreprocessors, the plurality of instructions comprising: instructions thatcause the one or more processors to receive transportation-related dataassociated with a plurality of travel legs from at least one of: adispatch environmental control computer system; an enhanced reservationcomputer system; an off-schedule operations computer system; a flightoperating computer system; and an aircraft communication addressing andreporting computer system; instructions that cause the one or moreprocessors to analyze the transportation-related data to generate aprojected departure delay and a projected arrival delay for each travelleg from the plurality of travel legs; wherein the projected departuredelay is the difference between a projected departure time and ascheduled departure time of the travel leg, wherein the projectedarrival delay is the difference between a projected arrival time and ascheduled arrival time of the travel leg, wherein each of the projecteddeparture delay and the projected arrival delay is not more than thegreater of: a resources delay relating to a delay necessary to providethe travel leg with resources required for the departure of the travelleg, and an existing delay associated with the travel leg; and whereinthe instructions that cause the one or more processors to generate theprojected departure delay and the projected arrival delay for eachtravel leg from the plurality of travel legs comprise instructions thatcause the one or more processors to minimize the sum of the projecteddeparture delays and the projected arrival delays while: ensuring thateach travel leg departs a departure location with the resources requiredfor the departure of the travel leg; and preserving an arrival order oftwo or more of the travel legs at an arrival location; instructions thatcause the one or more processors to determine a projected excess gatedemand for a plurality of gates within the transportation system and aprojected number of passenger misconnects based on the projecteddeparture delays and the projected arrival delays; instructions thatcause the one or more processors to output on a graphical user interfacea first interface displaying the projected excess gate demand for theplurality of gates at a first location within the transportation systemand the projected number of passenger misconnects, comprising:instructions that cause the one or more processors to display, in a gatedemand display region of the first interface, a plurality of barsrepresenting projected demand for the plurality of gates at the firstlocation over a period of time, wherein a width of each bar—along a timeaxis—represents a time period within the period of time, and a height ofeach bar—along a demand axis that is perpendicular to the timeaxis-represents the total projected demand for gates in that timeperiod; instructions that cause the one or more processors to display,in the gate demand display region of the first interface, a first lineimposed over the plurality of bars, wherein the first line represents ascheduled demand for the plurality of gates at the first location foreach time period within the period of time; instructions that cause theone or more processors to display, in the gate demand display region ofthe first interface, a second line—extending parallel to the timeaxis—positioned perpendicular to the demand axis at a positionrepresenting a physical number of gates that are available at the firstlocation; and instructions that cause the one or more processors todisplay, in the gate demand display region of the graphical userinterface, a third line—extending parallel to the demand axis—positionedperpendicular to the time axis at a position representing the currenttime; wherein a projected excess gate demand is depicted when a heightof any bar extends over the second line; instructions that cause the oneor more processors to generate, in response to the determination of theprojected excess gate demand and the projected number of passengermisconnects illustrated on the first interface, either: a firstrecommended plan having first recommended projected departure delay anda first recommended projected arrival delay for each travel leg from theplurality of travel legs; or a second recommended proposed plan having asecond recommended projected departure delay and a second recommendedprojected arrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality of travellegs; wherein instructions to generate the first recommended plan havingthe first recommended projected departure delay and the firstrecommended projected arrival delay for each travel leg from theplurality of travel legs further comprises: instructions that cause theone or more processors to display a second interface on the graphicaluser interface, wherein the second interface comprises: a first inputfield configured to receive, for each time period within the period oftime, a user-specified delay on a travel leg from the plurality oftravel legs; and a second input field configured to receive an airportclosure time; instructions that cause the one or more processors toreceive via the second interface first operation parameters from a user,the first operation parameters including: a user-specified delay on atravel leg from the plurality of travel legs for a time period; and theairport closure time; wherein the first recommended projected departuredelay is the difference between a first recommended projected departuretime and the scheduled departure time of the travel leg, wherein thefirst recommended projected arrival delay is the difference between afirst recommended projected arrival time and the scheduled arrival timeof the travel leg, and wherein each of the first recommended projecteddeparture delay and the first recommended projected arrival delay is notmore than the greater of:  the resources delay,  the existing delayassociated with the travel leg, and  the user-specified delay on thetravel leg; and instructions that cause the one or more processors tominimize the sum of the first recommended projected departure delays andthe first recommended projected arrival delays while: ensuring that eachtravel leg departs the departure location with the resources requiredfor the departure of the travel leg; and preserving the arrival order oftwo or more of the travel legs at the arrival location; and whereininstructions that cause the one or more processors to generate thesecond recommended proposed plan having the second recommended projecteddeparture delay and the second recommended projected arrival delay foreach travel leg from the plurality of travel legs comprises:instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive secondoperation parameters from the user, the second operation parametersincluding the airport closure time; wherein second recommended projecteddeparture delay is the difference between a second recommended projecteddeparture time and the scheduled departure time of the travel leg, andwherein the second recommended projected arrival delay is the differencebetween second recommended projected arrival time and the scheduledarrival time of the travel leg; and instructions that cause the one ormore processors to minimize the sum of the second recommended projecteddeparture delays, the second recommended projected arrival delays,while: ensuring that each travel leg departs the departure location withthe resources required for the departure of the travel leg; andpreserving an arrival order of two or more of the travel legs at thearrival location; instructions that cause the one or more processors tooutput on a third interface on the graphical user interface at least oneof the first recommended projected departure delay, the firstrecommended projected arrival delay, the second recommended projecteddeparture delay, and the second recommended projected arrival delay asthe proposed intentional delay that reduces at least one of theprojected excess gate demand and the projected number of passengermisconnects; and that minimizes operations beyond the airport closuretime; and instructions that cause the one or more processors toimplement the proposed intentional delay to transform a state of anaircraft associated with one of the plurality of travel legs to adelayed state.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the sum of theprojected departure delays and the projected arrival delays areminimized while: ensuring that an arrival time of each travel leg islater than an allowable arrival lower bound time; and ensuring that adeparture time of each travel leg is later than an allowable departurelower bound time.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein thetransportation-related data comprises the resources delay; the existingdelay associated with the travel leg; the arrival order of two or moreof the travel legs at the arrival location; the scheduled arrival timefor each travel leg; and the scheduled departure time for each travelleg.
 8. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the travel leg is an airlineflight.
 9. An apparatus for proposing an intentional delay for at leastone travel leg from a plurality of travel legs of a transportationsystem, the apparatus comprising: a non-transitory computer readablemedium; and a plurality of instructions stored on the non-transitorycomputer readable medium and executable by one or more processors, theplurality of instructions comprising: instructions that cause the one ormore processors to receive transportation-related data associated with aplurality of travel legs from at least one of: a dispatch environmentalcontrol computer system; an enhanced reservation computer system; anoff-schedule operations computer system; a flight operating computersystem; and an aircraft communication addressing and reporting computersystem; instructions that cause the one or more processors to analyzethe transportation-related data to generate a projected departure delayand a projected arrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality oftravel legs; wherein the projected departure delay is the differencebetween a projected departure time and a scheduled departure time of thetravel leg, wherein the projected arrival delay is the differencebetween a projected arrival time and a scheduled arrival time of thetravel leg, wherein each of the projected departure delay and theprojected arrival delay is not more than the greater of: a resourcesdelay relating to a delay necessary to provide the travel leg withresources required for the departure of the travel leg, and an existingdelay associated with the travel leg; and wherein the instructions thatcause the one or more processors to generate the projected departuredelay and the projected arrival delay for each travel leg from theplurality of travel legs comprise instructions that cause the one ormore processors to minimize the sum of the projected departure delaysand the projected arrival delays while: ensuring that each travel legdeparts a departure location with the resources required for thedeparture of the travel leg; and preserving an arrival order of two ormore of the travel legs at an arrival location; instructions that causethe one or more processors to determine a projected excess gate demandfor a plurality of gates within the transportation system and aprojected number of passenger misconnects based on the projecteddeparture delays and the projected arrival delays; instructions thatcause the one or more processors to output on a graphical user interfacea first interface displaying the projected excess gate demand for theplurality of gates at a first location within the transportation systemand the projected number of passenger misconnects, comprising:instructions that cause the one or more processors to display, in a gatedemand display region of the first interface, a plurality of barsrepresenting projected demand for the plurality of gates at the firstlocation over a period of time, wherein a width of each bar—along a timeaxis—represents a time period within the period of time, and a height ofeach bar—along a demand axis that is perpendicular to the timeaxis—represents the total projected demand for gates in that timeperiod; instructions that cause the one or more processors to display,in the gate demand display region of the first interface, a first lineimposed over the plurality of bars, wherein the first line represents ascheduled demand for the plurality of gates at the first location foreach time period within the period of time; instructions that cause theone or more processors to display, in the gate demand display region ofthe first interface, a second line—extending parallel to the timeaxis—positioned perpendicular to the demand axis at a positionrepresenting a physical number of gates that are available at the firstlocation; and instructions that cause the one or more processors todisplay, in the gate demand display region of the graphical userinterface, a third line—extending parallel to the demand axis—positionedperpendicular to the time axis at a position representing the currenttime; wherein a projected excess gate demand is depicted when a heightof any bar extends over the second line; instructions that cause the oneor more processors to generate, in response to the projected excess gatedemand and the projected number of passenger misconnects illustrated onthe first interface, either: a first recommended plan having firstrecommended projected departure delay and a first recommended projectedarrival delay for each travel leg from the plurality of travel legs; ora second recommended proposed plan having a second recommended projecteddeparture delay and a second recommended projected arrival delay foreach travel leg from the plurality of travel legs; wherein instructionsto generate the first recommended plan having the first recommendedprojected departure delay and the first recommended projected arrivaldelay for each travel leg from the plurality of travel legs furthercomprises: instructions that cause the one or more processors to displaya second interface on the graphical user interface, wherein the secondinterface comprises: a first input field configured to receive, for eachtime period within the period of time, a user-specified delay on atravel leg from the plurality of travel legs; and a second input fieldconfigured to receive an airport closure time; instructions that causethe one or more processors to receive via the second interface firstoperation parameters from a user, the first operation parametersincluding: a user-specified delay on a travel leg from the plurality oftravel legs for a time period; and the airport closure time; wherein thefirst recommended projected departure delay is the difference between afirst recommended projected departure time and the scheduled departuretime of the travel leg, wherein the first recommended projected arrivaldelay is the difference between a first recommended projected arrivaltime and the scheduled arrival time of the travel leg, and wherein eachof the first recommended projected departure delay and the firstrecommended projected arrival delay is not more than the greater of: the resources delay,  the existing delay associated with the travelleg, and  the user-specified delay on the travel leg; and instructionsthat cause the one or more processors to minimize the sum of the firstrecommended projected departure delays and the first recommendedprojected arrival delays while: ensuring that each travel leg departsthe departure location with the resources required for the departure ofthe travel leg; and preserving the arrival order of two or more of thetravel legs at the arrival location; and wherein instructions that causethe one or more processors to generate the second recommended proposedplan having the second recommended projected departure delay and thesecond recommended projected arrival delay for each travel leg from theplurality of travel legs comprises: instructions that cause the one ormore processors to receive second operation parameters from the user,the second operation parameters including the airport closure time;wherein second recommended projected departure delay is the differencebetween a second recommended projected departure time and the scheduleddeparture time of the travel leg, and wherein the second recommendedprojected arrival delay is the difference between second recommendedprojected arrival time and the scheduled arrival time of the travel leg;and instructions that cause the one or more processors to minimize thesum of the second recommended projected departure delays, the secondrecommended projected arrival delays, while: ensuring that each travelleg departs the departure location with the resources required for thedeparture of the travel leg; and preserving an arrival order of two ormore of the travel legs at the arrival location; instructions that causethe one or more processors to output on a third interface on thegraphical user interface at least one of the first recommended projecteddeparture delay, the first recommended projected arrival delay, thesecond recommended projected departure delay, and the second recommendedprojected arrival delay as the proposed intentional delay that reducesat least one of the projected excess gate demand and the projectednumber of passenger misconnects; and that minimizes operations beyondthe airport closure time; and instructions that cause the one or moreprocessors to implement the proposed intentional delay to transform astate of an aircraft associated with one of the plurality of travel legsto a delayed state; wherein the travel leg is an airline flight; andwherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors togenerate the projected departure delay and the projected arrival delayfor each travel leg from the plurality of travel legs compriseinstructions that cause the one or more processors to execute a mixedinteger program comprising a problem represented by: minimize$\begin{matrix}{{\sum\limits_{f \in F}w_{f}^{a}} + {\sum\limits_{f \in F}w_{f}^{d}}} & (1)\end{matrix}$ subject to:y _(f) −x _(g) ≥T _(p) , ∀f∈F, p=(g,f)∈P ^(f)  (2)x _(f) ₁ −x _(f) ₂ ≥0, ∀m,(f ₁ ,f ₂)∈{{circumflex over (x)} _(f) ₁≥{circumflex over (x)} _(f) ₂ ,f ₁ ,f ₂ ∈F ^(m)}  (3)x _(f) ^(LB) ≤x _(f) , ∀∈F  (4)x _(f) ^(LB) ≤y _(f) , ∀∈F  (5)x _(f) ^(d) =y _(f) −ŷ _(f) , ∀∈F  (6)w _(f) ^(a) =x _(f) −{circumflex over (x)} _(f) , ∀∈F  (7) where F is aset of all flights for an airline for a predefined time period,typically a day and f∈F; where A is a set of arrival flights ‘a’arriving at a station of interest; a∈A∈F; where D is a set of departureflights ‘d’ departing from a station of interest; d∈D∈F; where M is aset of all markets ‘m’ (origin-destination pairs); m∈M; where F^(m) is aset of flights ‘f’ which are in the same market ‘m’; where C is a set ofpassenger connections ‘c’ where c=(g, f) where ‘g’ is a first flight ofa passenger connection and ‘f’ is a second flight; where P^(f) is a setof dependencies p=(g, f) where ‘g’ is a flight that provides a flightwith resources required for the departure of the flight ‘f’, with g∈Fand f∈F; where {circumflex over (x)}_(f) is a scheduled arrival time ofthe flight ‘f’; where x_(f) ^(LB) is the earliest time that the flight‘f’ can arrive; where ŷ_(f) ^(LB) is a scheduled departure time of theflight ‘f’; where y_(f) ^(LB) is an earliest time that the flight ‘f’can depart; where x_(f) is an arrival time of the flight f∈F; wherey_(f) is a departure time of the flight f∈F; where w_(f) ^(a) is anarrival delay on the flight ‘f’ beyond the scheduled arrival time; andwhere w_(f) ^(d) is a departure delay on the flight ‘f’ beyond thescheduled departure time.